Retinal Tear

A retinal tear is a situation that may occur due to vitreous detachment. The vitreous is a kind of gel that fills the interior of the eye.
With age, the vitreous undergoes changes in its viscosity, which cause it to detach from the retina – the interior layer of the eye. Vitreous detachment may be partial, so certain parts might still be attached to the retina.

This may result in pulling forces that could lead to a tear in the retina. Following this, the vitreous fluid may penetrate through the tear that formed in the retina and cause a more severe complication known as retinal detachment – a condition that requires immediate surgical intervention. Some risk factors for retinal tear include: age, myopia, genetics, eye trauma and eye conditions. The symptoms of a retinal tear include floaters (spots or threads moving in one’s field of vision), flashes of light, curtain-like shadows.